Across the Stars
Across the Stars is a fanfiction story created by Mysterygirl000. Let's now swivel our heads to the summary. Summary Ember and Star, two young dragonets, feel trapped in the secret world of the NightWings, so they make an escape. But when they finally get to see the world of Pyrrhia, it's in ruins. Dragons are dying and the land is suffering, and there's one simple question: Why? In this heart-stopping tale, the two learn about adventure, pain, love, and what it takes to save the world. Prologue "How's Sunny?" "Not well." "Glory?" "Even worse." "What about Starflight?" "Stop," Tsunami sighed. "It's over. It's our time." "But-" Tsunami rested her tail tip on Clay's well-built shoulder. "No, Clay," she consoled him. "We've already gotten what we needed to protect the tribes. And there are now new ones, like SwiftWings, who'll have their backs. C'mon." She started to nudge Sunny to her feet and pushed her into the cave. Clay sighed, then did the same with Starflight and Glory. Once they had been dropped in their resting places, Clay took another step outside. He and his friends had been through so much together. And now it was time to retire. The tribes were safe. Clay and his gang had grown old. They weren't needed anymore. He heaved another sigh. It may be his time, but he would never, ever cease to watch over the tribes. Then he ambled back to the cave, his paws as heavy as stones. He lay next to Tsunami in his own resting place, sighed one last time, and closed his eyes, forever. Chapter one It was another cold night. Well, it was many things. Cold, gloomy, but over anything, it was dark. But of course it was dark. It was NightWing territory. But dark didn't fit all the NightWings. No, Star wanted to see light. Just one glance at the sun. But she knew that could never happen. The sun wasn't real. It was just a myth to warn dragonets that going outside was dangerous. "The sun would burn the scales right off of you!," her mother would say. Or, "It's so bright, one look at it and it's light would melt the eyes right out of your skull." No, anywhere you went in the world you were in darkness. At least that's what Star was always told. Well, of course, the cave wasn't completely dark. Lanterns were all over the place. And although the NightWings were advanced and knew of electricity, they rarely used it. "Too much light would attract too many nosy SeaWings," the queen always insisted. But of course, Star and the other dragonets never knew what she meant. Why would SeaWings be a problem? All this was running through her brain until she was interrupted by a "Scoot over!" She had rolled onto her sister Ember. Again. Oops. Star decided to abandon sleeping and stood up. She shook out her scales in a stretch that made her scales glimmer in the gloom. She was about to go walk around when she was suddenly bowled over by a big shadow. "Onyx!" Star whined as she scrambled from underneath the huge dragonet. She turned around and gave him a hard stare, exclaiming, "What are you guys doing?" "It's grown-up stuff," he snickered, "not for babies, like you." Star's expression intensified as she puffed, "First of all, playing a lousy game of catch isn't "grown-up stuff". And second, I'm almost three years old! I'm not a baby!" Onyx whined sarcastically, "Wow, you really hurt my feelings!" He laughed and ran back over to his brother Ebony. "Ugly scales," Star whispered when he was out of earshot. Onyx and Ebony looked exactly alike: ugly. Well, they were classified as ugly to the rest of the tribe. It was because their scales didn't have any "stars" under them, so they looked like a dark, starless night. But Onyx and Ebony didn't mind. They were always too busy playing their stupid games of getting under dragons' claws and running over someone's tail. Star hated them to their very bones. They always thought they were better just because they were already six years old. But Ash isn't, Star thought to herself. Ash was the youngest of the three brothers. But even though he was the youngest, he was the biggest. And even though he was only five years old, he was still much older than Star and her sister. As if the thought had summoned him, Ash walked lazily past her and said, "Time for training." "Already?" Star groaned. She poked her sister awake (which was hard because Ember was a deep sleeper) and they both flew to the Training Cave, where the teacher, Dagger, was already waiting, along with the six year-old Zodia. Star was jealous of how accelerated Zodia was. "Ah, little NightWings, there you are," he said. A little while later Onyx and Ebony tumbled into the room, with Ash behind them, all of them yelling and playing and whatever it is six year olds do. Star sighed, which got louder as another figure entered the room. Star had to squint as the last dragonet strolled into the room, showing off. You see, where Ebony and Onyx lacked in beauty, their sister excelled in it. Hence her name, Beauty. She glittered so much, and she even got special treatment because of it. The teacher loved her more, the tribe loved her more, even her mother loved her more! And just because she sparkled? Star didn't think it fair. Then again nothing was fair in this NightWing world. "Okay, class," Dagger went on as everyone was seated, "we have been practicing fighting for a while. So we will be learning how to read minds." "Been there, done that!" Onyx yelled. The three brothers laughed. "Oh please," Beauty replied smugly to her brothers, "I can read minds way better than you. And I'm two years younger than you." Ash chuckled, "I'd like to see you try." Beauty, "Okay. You're thinking of food. Oh wait, I didn't need to read your mind to know that." Ebony cried, "Oh!" Ash laughed, "Oh yeah?" Ebony retorted. "Well you're thinking of how smart and mature I am." "See, this proves you're bad at mind-reading, because I'd never think that," Beauty retorted with a smirk. And Onyx cried, "Oh!" Dagger loudly cleared his throat, signaling for the dragonets to be quiet, and went on, "I know you older dragonets have pretty much mastered that subject but the younger ones," -he looked at Star and Ember- "have not. So let us practice. Ebony, read my mind. Tell me what I'm thinking." Ebony concentrated hard, by the looks of it. Star chuckled and said to Ember, "His eyes are practically popping out of his head!" "Alright, then, enlighten me." Star gasped as Dagger was suddenly in front of her, talking to her. Dagger went on, "Tell me what I'm thinking of." Star gulped as she muttered, "But what about-" "I know how well the older dragonets are doing with this subject," Dagger interrupted, apparently reading her mind, finishing her thought, "and they are doing quite well. But it takes a good long time to master it. Even after six years." He pointed with his tail to Ebony, who was looking pleased. "So, can you read my mind, or can't you?" Star flinched under Dagger's stare. Star said weakly, in barely more than a whisper, "No." Dagger bowed his head, as he knew this answer, and...was that''amusement'' in his eyes? Did he think this was funny?! It was not! He had just embarrassed Star right in front of the three brothers, who were howling with laughter in the other corner of the cavern, and Zodia, who was avoiding Star's gaze at the other corner. But Star was too afraid to say anything. She just bowed her head, wishing she could still be asleep, by her mother and her sister.... Luckily, Dagger moved on to instruct the class further in the "art" of the mind. Star sighed. What a day so far. After awhile, when the class was over, Star turned to leave, but a quick, "Star. Stay here," interrupted her exiting. She spun on her heels a little sheepishly, and responded with, "Yes, Teacher?" Dagger seemed to laugh a little to himself. What was so funny? Star huffed inwardly in frustration. She was two years old already! Just because she didn't know how to mind-read, doesn't mean she doesn't know anything! She knew how to fight very well, and she knew how to blend into the shadows. She wasn't helpless! As if Dagger had been reading her thoughts (which he probably was again), he said, "Ah, Star. I know you know how to do many things. But you don't know much, much more things about the world and about dragonkind." Star indignantly muttered, "Yes I do." "Then tell me, what can SeaWings do?" Dagger interrogated. Star puffed, "They swim around all day." Dagger continued, "Did you know they can glow in the dark? Did you know that their tails are so strong, they can drown any dragon instantly with one splash?" Star shook her head. Dagger declared, "There are many things about the world that even I don't know. So tell me, if you don't know how to do something, is it fair to tease someone else about it?" Star shook her head again and stifled a sigh. "Let me tell you something that someone told me," Dagger said, gently brushing his head against Star's. "Teasing someone doesn't say anything about the person being teased; it says something about the one who's teasing. I know you can poke your fun, but Ebony and his brothers are much older-" This angered Star. Ebony was older. She knew that. But Ebony and his siblings were always teasing her. How was that fair? So Star burst out, "But Ebony is always teasing me, even for no reason. I hate him and Onyx and Ash and Beauty! Everyone thinks they're better because they're "older" or "more beautiful". But what about me and Ember? We get nothing!" Dagger just stood there, watching Star pant in distress. Until finally, he whispered, "It doesn't matter what dragons think they know about a dragon. It's about what you know about yourself. Dragons might say you're ugly or small or young. But does it matter? It doesn't mean it's true. All I'm asking is for you to think about what you say before you say it." Star mumbled, "But why are you on-" "I'm not trying to stand up for Ebony or his brothers or Beauty," Dagger cut her off. "I'm trying to help you become a better dragon. Now, run along. You have some thinking to do." "Okay, thank you, Teacher," Star stated, starting to feel somewhat better. She was about to leave again, when she turned back around and asked, "Dagger, can I ask you something?" Dagger bobbed his head. "Yes?" he asked. Star went on, "Why can't we see the outside world? And why would SeaWings be a problem? And why do we have to always hide from the world?" Dagger laughed a little again as he replied, "I love how curious you can be, Star. But I'm afraid the outside world can be a dangerous place, especially for dragonets. Don't worry. You might not be old enough to know, but you can use your imagination. Imagine a beautiful paradise, filled with all your favorite things." But Star didn't want to pretend; she wanted to see the real world, of course! Dagger got comfortable on the hard stone floor as he kept going, "And besides, the less enemy dragons knowing about our life or location, the better. They might not know about us, but we know about them. That can come in handy, young one." Star nodded her head again and strolled through the hole of the cave, thinking about all that her teacher had told her. She sighed. When were all the mysteries of the world going to end? UNDER CONSTRUCTION Category:Fanfictions